Bluffton woman convicted as accessory to 2015 murder

Thursday

Jan 25, 2018 at 12:06 PM

Staff Reports

A Bluffton woman was found guilty Wednesday as an accessory to the 2015 shooting death of a local restaurateur.

Colette Adrienne Collins, 36, had been charged with aiding husband Samuel Collins after he killed Jonathan Cherol. She was sentenced in Beaufort County General Sessions Court to 15 years in prison, the maximum penalty for the offense.

Colette and Samuel Collins were prosecuted by Kimberly Smith of the 14th Circuit Solicitor’s Office. Samuel Collins was convicted of murder in October and sentenced to 50 years in prison.

"Colette Collins continued to act like she didn’t do anything wrong after she knew Sam Collins shot and killed Jonathan Cherol. She didn’t call the police," Smith told the jury in her closing argument. "It’s time for her lies to stop."

On the night Cherol was killed, Colette Collins came home two hours late and slurring her speech, according to her estranged husband, who testified during her two-day trial at the Beaufort County Courthouse. Samuel Collins told jurors he suspected his wife might be having an affair with Cherol.

"I became very angry and grabbed the shotgun," he said. "I told her I wanted her to drive me over there. … I wanted to scare him."

The couple drove to the Pinecrest neighborhood, driving by Cherol’s house and stopping on Masters Way, a Solicitor’s Office news release said. Samuel Collins got out and walked down a path to Cherol’s backyard.

Standing in the darkness, Samuel Collins twice fired a 12-gauge Mossberg shotgun that he had borrowed from a friend, the release said. One shot hit a neighboring house; another struck Cherol in the head.

After firing the gun, Samuel Collins testified, "I panicked, and I left as fast as I could. I went back to the vehicle."

He got into a 2007 Toyota Camry, driven by his wife.

"I shot him, let’s go," Samuel Collins testified.

They drove to the friend’s house and dropped off the shotgun, the release said. The couple returned home and the next morning Colette Collins went to work.

Interviews with the suspects and cellphone text messages connected the couple to the incident, the Solicitor’s Office said.

Samuel Collins’ DNA was discovered on the shotgun, which Collins returned to its owner in the early-morning hours after Cherol’s murder, along with articles of clothing that also contained his DNA.

Smith called 19 witnesses during the two-day trial. Among them was S.C. State Law Enforcement Division firearms expert Michelle Eichenmiller, who testified that a shotgun shell found at the crime scene was fired by the Mossberg shotgun.

"She didn’t ask questions because she knew what happened," Smith said. "She knew Sam shot Jon. Colette didn’t call Jon to check on him. The reason was because he was already dead."

The jury deliberated about 2 ½ hours before reaching its verdict. Circuit Court Judge Doyet A. Early III handed down the sentence.

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.